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Thursday, December 12, 2024

Bronze Age Pyramidal Structure Discovered in the Eurasian Steppe

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Bronze Age Pyramidal Structure Eurasian Steppe
Archaeologists have uncovered a bronze age pyramidal structure in the Eurasian Steppe. Credit: Eurasian National University

Eurasian National University (ENU) archaeologists have discovered a pyramid-shaped structure at the Kyrykungir archaeological site. This site, found near the village of Toktamys in the Abay region of Kazakhstan holds ancient burial places.

Since 2014, researchers have been digging at this location. They’ve found groups of ancient graves from the times of the Hun and Saka people. These graves have unveiled special items such as clay pots, food gifts, and small bronze balls inside.

Eurasian National University recently shared in a press release that archaeologists have found proof of a hexagonal pyramid that goes back to the early Bronze Age around 2000 BC.

“The pyramid is built with great precision,” said Ulan Umitkaliyev, from ENU’s archaeology and ethnology department. “It is a very sophisticated complex structure with several circles in the middle.”

Pyramid links to ‘the cult of the horse’

Photographs reveal a single side of the structure. On each edge of the wall stands a bigger, black stone in an upright position, with one flat side facing outward. In the middle, a distinct kind of rock shapes the impressive outer wall.

Images of different animals, particularly horses, dominate the exterior walls of this complex structure, according to Umitkaliyev.

He noted that these decorations, combined with the discovery of horse bones nearby, established a connection between the pyramid and what he referred to as “the cult of the horse.”

Archaeologists have also found pottery, along with gold earrings and other types of jewelry. These artifacts suggest that the pyramid served as the focal point of culture during ancient times, as highlighted by Umitkaliyev.

Another image, provided by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, displays a less well-maintained part of the pyramid, revealing multiple walls in a state of decay.

Painted astragals of the Bronze Age

A study published in The Volga River Region Archaeology in 2021 also showcases findings from the Kyrykungir burial grounds (located in East Kazakhstan), where two sets of astragals with visible traces of colored pigments were found.

The arrangement of the graves, along with the overall archaeological environment, enabled researchers to place these items in a time period ranging from the 12th to 13th centuries B.C.

The study includes information derived from the study of animal remains (archaeozoological analysis) and an examination of the painted surface of items (alchiks) using SEM-EDX analysis.

Through this analysis, the types of animals used for the astragal pieces have been identified, showing a mix of both domestic and wild species.

Furthermore, the varied chemical compositions of the paints that covered the objects, as well as instances of paint restoration, were uncovered.

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